From: Judy Seigel (jseigel@panix.com)
Date: 11/06/01-09:16:14 PM Z
Here's a note to help fill in the dread silence: A while back Shannon
asked some questions about toning cyanotype, where it seems she was
getting uneven results, even blotches. She hasn't said since then if she
solved the problems, but here are some suggestions.
If you want to MATCH tones, the beginning prints have to be the same (that
is printed to the same depth on the same paper), and the toning has to be
the same, that is you have to use the baths one-shot, and time all rinses
and dippings to be identical...
That's not to say you couldn't hit on the same effects accidentally, but
odds are against it -- especially since what's carried over from one bath
changes the next. Also, timing is a critical variable, and, as the baths
change, timing changes.
As for the blotching, I've never seen that, and it may be that particular
tannic acid supply was especially gummy. But it couldn't hurt to make up
the stuff an hour or so in advance. We made a huge beaker full, of both
the tannic & the sodium carbonate, then poured enough into the tray at a
time to just cover.
You also want to change the rinse water often... and do NOT use your
presoak water to rinse between baths... that's another variable (a big
one). Presoak has to be clean.
In my experience, prints that are very deep (lots of rich blue on an
absorbent paper) usually tone best. "Regular" prints on smooth paper
tend to lose too much density. I've seen cases where the resulting pale
toned print was exquisite, but more often just blah.
Judy
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